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The Brazilian cattle genetics
industry is forecast to maintain its growing pace, with
an expected five percentage point increase in the use of
artificial insemination (AI) techniques by 2013 (to be
used on 12% of the total female cattle herd).
According
to the Brazilian Artificial Insemination Association,
sales have grown by 40% during the past 10 years,
totalling 8 million doses in 2008. It is estimated that
growth in 2009 reached between 7-9%.
German Pharma in good health, despite economic difficulties
Around 80-85% of the sales are
used in beef cattle reproduction, in contrast with only
20% of the doses destined for beef cattle a decade ago.
The remainder is used for dairy cattle improvement.
In addition to the increased sales,
technology is on the rise, with more than 3.2 million
fixed-term artificial inseminations (a technique which
synchronises the female’s cycle) performed last year,
compared with only 100,000 in 2002.
The industry,
estimated to be valued at US$250 million per year,
comprising a number of local and foreign companies,
estimates beef cattle genetic demand to continue grow,
driven by higher producer margins and international beef
quality requirements.
 
Neuron connections seen in 3-D
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A team of researchers from the Max Planck
Institute of Biochemistry, in Germany, led by
the Spanish physicist Rubén Fernández-Busnadiego,
has managed to obtain 3D images of the vesicles
and filaments involved in communication between
neurons. The method is based on a novel
technique in electron microscopy, which cools
cells so quickly that their biological
structures can be frozen while fully active.
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Stopping Schizophrenia Before It Starts
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The onset of
schizophrenia
is not easy to predict. Although it is associated with
as many as 14 genes in the human genome, the prior
presence of schizophrenia in the family is not enough to
determine whether one will succumb to the mind-altering
condition. The disease also has a significant
environmental link.
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